It's A Dog's Life
by Marqania
Summary: The primary team sent to Karakura needs bigtime backup. And there are few bigger than Komamura-taichou. ...Okay, maybe 'bigger' wasn't the right word. T for language.
1. Chapter 1

It's A Dog's Life

Chapter One: Enter The Dog

* * *

The world consisted of a sewer pipe. 

Komamura yawned, stretched, and shook himself awake. It had been a while since he'd needed a gigai, and he found that his new one fit much more snugly than he remembered. His nails clacked against concrete as he walked to the end of the pipe for a better look.

He peered out at a sullen gray world. Rebar bristled like spines from the unfinished building above him, while piles of debris and building materials formed an alien landscape below. He himself was on a pyramid of pipes waiting to be installed underground. He carefully swung himself out of the opening and struggled to the pavement.

Hm. Either the living world had grown much larger than he'd anticipated, or…

He padded over to a nearby shop window, half certain what he would see.

A furry red puppy face stared unhappily back at him with his golden eyes.

_I hate you, Urahara._

* * *

This is up here primarily so I can figure out how the author bit of this site works. And because reading some of the great stories on here made this poor schmuck want to write. But I also wanted to give Komamura a little love. (I'm not the only one who wants a puppy-taichou, am I? Well, there's that Yachiru-Komamura fic which was kinda fun… and probably others. Dunno. Enjoy anyway!) 

Disclaimer: Recognize it? Not mine.

If you do decide to review, suggest a puppy name!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Previous Day

* * *

"Haven't you considered what might happen if we send out another one of our captains?" 

Dark eyes rolled beneath shaggy white eyebrows. "According to Hitsugaya-taichou, not even a captain can beat these creatures alone, and the attacks in Karakura are getting stronger and more numerous." General Yamamoto suppressed a sigh. "Five of our number is no longer enough."

Kurotsuchi folded his arms. "The enemy might be doing this with the specific motive of reducing the number of captains in Soul Society."

"Tch. Even halved, we won't be beaten that easily." _You, maybe_, thought Zaraki. "Besides, Aizen's only got Karakura in his sights right now."

"You'd make a great research puppet. Your missing brain would make it easier for the electrodes to do their work."

Zaraki flicked his sword out of its sheath.

"Zaraki-taichou." The old man's quiet voice held a hint of venom. Zaraki grunted, shoving the pommel back down with a fist. "We have considered what might happen, Kurotsuchi-taichou," said Yamamoto, "and I am insulted that you would think otherwise." Kurotsuchi looked suitably chastened. "Starting immediately, we will double our border patrols and set up stations in Rukongai. Division One and Divisions Three through Thirteen will be split into four groups. Each group will be assigned twenty sections apiece..." The captains visibly began to drift off as the general blathered on. Everything would be in the follow-up memo anyway.

"_Now _for the captain on this assignment." Yamamoto barked out the first word, quietly enjoying the others' sudden awakening. "I'm sending someone experienced at concealing reiatsu - "

Zaraki snorted. "See ya."

"And have assigned Kurotsuchi-taichou to produce a new gigai for - " _drumroll please_, he thought, "Komamura-taichou."

All eyes turned to the fox-captain. "That is very... gracious of you, General - and of course, I must thank you as well, Kurotsuchi-taichou - but with all due respect, sir, I have one ready."

"The key to your assignment, Komamura-taichou, is obscurity. A fire-breathing nine-tailed fox is far from obscure, not to mention outdated."

_You're one to talk. _Komamura fought back a grimace. Kurotsuchi's hideous grin was unnerving. He could literally see the gears turning in the other man's head, each one beet-purple and just the right size to skewer on a toothpick. Only a suicidal nutjob would accept a gigai from him.

But there weren't any other options, unless he counted – _oh damn._

He began a mental gift list with 'five kilos of toffee for Yachiru.' He pointedly ignored the little voice that shrilled 'bribe!' as he silently practiced asking the little girl for help with the clown-man's daughter.

"Kurotsuchi-taichou, I look forward to seeing your work." He bowed to the general. "Please excuse me, so that I might prepare myself." _Or brace myself, rather_, he corrected.

Yamamoto nodded, and hid another sigh as Komamura walked out hastily. He and Sasakibe had left one particular 'detail' to their exiled colleague. He just hoped they wouldn't kill each other first.

* * *

Y'know, I'm sure I put dashes in my summary. Why don't they show up? 

Edited because the rest of my story needs that gift list.

Hello to Sponge Splicer, Greenzaku (hooray for puppy-fied lieutenants), and Kitsuru!

Disclaimer: Recognize it? Not mine.

Reviews are like coffee. No, scratch that, I don't like coffee. (To each their own, neh?) Okay, reviews are like chocolate. There. That's better. And leave puppy names! And suggestions on how to get those dashes into my summary. Komamura-taichou as one word is starting to bug me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Girl Meets Dog

* * *

The rain began well into Tatsuki's afternoon class. Its pattering on the roof made a pleasant counterpoint to the rhythm of sparring. 

"He is _not_ having a breakdown!"

Too bad it couldn't drown out her sparring partner.

"Yes, he is." Punch. "He's practically gift-wrapping - " block. "Runs for the other teams - " punch. "And have you seen - " punch. "How many walks he's handed out?" Block.

"And have _you_ seen how many times he's been at the mound? That isn't a breakdown, that's exhaustion - "

"Line up!" announced their sensei.

* * *

Komamura had always hated the rain. It dulled scents, drowned out sounds, and numbed sensations. Things were no different here. 

He went into a bus shelter and shook himself vigorously. A gray-and-white stray barked at him and chased him out. A car screeched to a halt as he crossed the street, kicking up pebbles and blaring its horn. Shaking from the rain, he ran into a second bus shelter and huddled beneath the bench. A blonde with dark roots and high heels used her umbrella to shoo him away. Another car passed as he growled at her, splattering him with muddy water. Komamura grit his teeth, pulling his thoughts back to the mission and away from those noisy, ignorant, _irritating_ humans.

"Line up!"

The dojo he found himself next to had just finished a class. After a minute of waiting, a group of people in gi laughed and argued their way out the door. A girl split from the group, waving goodbye as she entered the women's locker room. Interesting. This one had reiatsu.

* * *

_Hooray for weekends!_ Tatsuki was anxious to get out to the bus. Orihime had told her she had to visit family for a few days, and asked her to check on the apartment and her two new roommates. She'd have called when class let out had her cellphone not been making its low power noise all day – maybe she'd pay a visit instead. 

She was greeted at the exit by a little red puppy. "Hey there, little one. What're you doing here?" The puppy stared up at her intently with its bright golden eyes. Tatsuki knelt in front of it and noticed a shabby black collar with an unusual dog tag. One face of the little rhombus was white, rimmed with black, and tipped with black at the corners. She rubbed the tag between cold fingers. "Wonder what the seven's for." The other face was red, with a skull and flames embossed on it. Hesitating as another 'boop' sounded, she pulled out her cellphone and dialed.

Komamura squeezed past the girl into the relative warmth of a darkened room. "Animal Services?" She turned briefly to him. "Stay put, will ya? …Yeah, got a puppy here – oh. Okay, where's the nearest one with room?" The girl dug into her bag for a pen and paper. "…Got anything closer? Yeah, hang on - " she cursed violently as her phone died, and again as he shook himself.

Tatsuki sighed. "Dumb dog." She went back into the locker room for some paper towels.

It had been a very trying day, and only centuries of experience kept Komamura from snapping at the girl's throat for that insult. He decided instead to follow her deeper into the dark, tiled room, watching as she reached for a light switch. He was mildly surprised when she knelt once more to scrub him dry with the thin sheets of paper she pulled out of the wall.

Komamura frowned at his own reaction. He was no longer an angry teenager in Rukongai. He was a puppy. And, for the good of the mission, it was high time he acted like one. Stumbling dramatically, he fell into a sit in front of her with a soft whimper.

"Ohh no. Not this time." Tatsuki made a face. "Last time I fell for cutesy-pouty puppy eyes, my hamster got eaten."

The girl's eyes softened when Komamura's stomach grumbled. _Speaking of eating…_ He set his forepaws on her knees and gazed sorrowfully up at her, adding an extra whine for effect.

Tatsuki sighed and scooped the muddy puppy onto her lap. "You know the landlady's gonna kill me if she finds you." She snorted when the puppy licked her chin, stroking its back with one hand and opening her duffel with the other. She shook out her gym towel, wrapping it around the puppy before setting the bundle inside her bag.

Komamura winced as the various smells hit his nose. He tried hard not to throw up as he scrounged around inside the dark duffel for anything he could use. There was baby powder, a sweaty t-shirt, and something square, pink and scented… He wedged the tip of his nose into the gap in the thin packaging. Several sheets of papery stuff around a cushion of some kind – was this the money the living were using nowadays?

"Dammit, dog!" Tatsuki snatched away his prize. "Maxi pad is bad for puppies. Got it?"

* * *

Hi to From the Psyche Ward, Viashino wizard (the one with the Yachiru-Komamura fic), and darkangel1910! 

I am not particularly happy with this chapter, but I'm not sure how to make it better. Suggestions are really appreciated at this point, as are puppy names.

Disclaimer: Recognize it? Not mine.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Dog at Home

* * *

"I'm home." Tatsuki shook the rain from her umbrella as she turned on the lights in the living room. The lightning and thunder had begun when she reached her stop, and she was relieved to be out of the storm. _Umbrella on hook._ _Shoes in cubbyhole. _She walked into her bedroom in sticky stocking feet – _keys on desk – _and dumped her duffel unceremoniously beside her chair. 

"YIPE!"

She gasped, scrambling back to the now wriggling bag. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She set the puppy loose, wincing when it shied away from her. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" It glared a little doggy glare at her before dashing under her bed. "Well, fine, be that way..." She turned to leave. A fantastic jolt of thunder shook the building, and she found herself nearly stumbling over the puppy as it scrambled to get in front of her.

Tatsuki sighed. "Silly... uh," she scooped it up to check, "boy. I won't be out long. I need to set you up a bed and something to eat. And figure out how to housetrain you without the landlady catching me. No pressure, right?" She took the puppy into the bathroom. "Now _stay_."

Komamura hadn't been hurt when the girl dropped the bag, just a bit surprised. And a bit embarrassed: he hadn't made a noise like that since he lost his first milk tooth. He padded back into the room he'd first seen, taking stock of the situation.

_One teenager. Mother not home. No sign of a father in the house. Small traces of reiatsu in the household. Associated with Kurosaki and his friends, judging from the pictures around the room._

Komamura shook himself and clambered onto the girl's desk, grimacing as he caught the scent of the duffel bag. A mismatched collection of mugs surrounded a single desk lamp. One held pens; another, a sheaf of small bills with numbers on them; another, some makeup – whoops, there. That had to be currency. He'd pay the girl back once he'd gotten a new gigai and beaten the afterlife out of Urahara. He nosed the brown mug onto its side to count how much money there was. Unfortunately, the sounds of change rattling out of the mug made the girl come running.

"Oh _damn_…" Tatsuki rubbed her nose in frustration. Muddy puppy-prints encircled the room, little speckles of mud dotted the walls, and her snack money swam in a brownish puddle on her desk.

Komamura let loose an unapologetic, tongue-lolling grin.

* * *

Tatsuki carried the puppy into the kitchen after they'd each had a bath. "Sit." She was half-surprised when he obeyed. _Well, you certainly belong to someone,_ she thought as the microwave dinged. She set down a saucer of leftover fettucine alfredo and another of water. The puppy eyed the white sauce warily. "Look, I don't exactly have any proper dog food, so deal with it for now, will ya?" She watched as he nosed a piece of chicken off the noodles. 

The girl seemed to enjoy watching him eat. Komamura never let anyone watch him eat. Not that he wolfed down his food or anything, but… well, when one looks like a really big dog, anything one does gets attention whether one wants it or not. Only one person before had smiled like that, happy that he was enjoying his food rather than frightened or disgusted at the way he ate. He huffed at the thought of Tousen – and regretted it a second later as a glop of sauce got him coughing. Which got the girl giggling.

Tatsuki patted his back, then tasted the rest of the fettucine she'd left on the counter. "It's not that hot. Then again," she amended, "this stuff probably isn't right for you. Hang on while I find something else…" she paused when she felt a tug on her slipper. She looked down to see the puppy slurp up a noodle and swallow, as if to reassure her about the food. "Huh." Those golden eyes were unnervingly canny for a puppy... She decided to get her mind off things by starting on the laundry.

The image upon the monitor bounced and shook, as if the one holding the camera were running. Lightning flashed on the screen. A streetlamp sputtered overhead. A match sparked, and the tip of a cigarette flushed briefly scarlet. The glow of the living world filtered through sheets of black rain.

* * *

The lone chair before the screen cast a long black shadow that crept up Tousen Kaname's legs as he entered. 

"Agent Five, setting Three."

At his words, the screen went dark. Tousen felt the rain patter on his skin, heard the lightbulb zap and crackle above him, smelled smoke from somewhere nearby. He traced his finger on a nearby touchpad, and the sounds shifted slowly. The rain continued its rhythm on a flat surface overhead. The smoke was stronger here, and was accompanied by the smell of alcohol. Tousen looked up as something four-footed approached, smelling of wet fur.

He heard a booted foot impact flesh, and a dog yelped in the darkness. It scrambled to get away from its attacker, its nails clattering on the pavement as it ran. Tousen felt it brush past his chair as the sound faded. There was a faint snap and a fizzing noise, and the smell of alcohol got even stronger.

Tousen felt a tug from somewhere in the direction the dog had gone. He frowned. It was familiar, he was sure of that, but it wasn't what he was looking for. He followed it anyway, until he found the tug was strongest near the smells of damp earth and cement and rust.

That would be enough for tonight. He steered back toward the cigarette-smoking drunk. It was time to give his agent its dinner.

* * *

Hello again to Kitsuru, darkangel1910, and Viashino wizard! 

Disclaimer: Recognize it? Still not mine.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Mom Meets Dog

* * *

Mrs. Arisawa arrived home later that rainy day. She had glared disapprovingly at the bundle of muddy laundry, but had instantly melted when she found out the cause. All that weekend, she'd carried the little bundle of fur around the house whenever she was home, only setting him down to sleep or to use the bathroom. 

Tatsuki had been quite surprised one night when she got up to use the toilet. She nearly fell over the puppy on her way in, and quickly caught sight of the 'deposit' in the bowl. Since both humans in the house knew how to flush, her sleepy mind eventually came to one amazing conclusion. Now even more convinced that this puppy belonged to someone, she began searching for his owner in earnest, having flyers and handbills printed with his description.

Komamura found this latest development worrisome. How was he going to keep his cover with these papers in circulation? He seriously considered dismembering Urahara and feeding each limb to hungry piranha for making a gigai with so many of his physical attributes. _Then again, this body does have its perks_, thought Komamura as the girl, clad in nothing but a towel, picked him up to snuggle him. _Maybe I won't kill Urahara after all._

* * *

He'd visited Kurotsuchi, as ordered, to pick up his assigned gigai. It looked bland enough: a scruffy animal with gray fur and white markings stared out of the display with the same blank look the scientist's daughter usually wore. It would have been a lot more reassuring if the scientist hadn't been grinning madly over the nearby screens. The fact that Kurotsuchi changed the displayed images when he turned to look wasn't very comforting either. Curious, he kept on looking. The screen marked Thirteen showed a railroad crossing; Fourteen showed a hospital parking lot; Fifteen, the underside of an overpass. 

"Mayuri-sama."

"What now?"

Kurotsuchi Nemu bowed to both captains. "The monitors in Laboratory Nine require your attention. Information on the new - "

Kurotsuchi's arm shot out, snagging his daughter's throat and pinning her to the far wall. "What have I told you about discussing my research in front of others?"

"My apologies, Mayuri-sama. Nevertheless, Station Five requires your codes to access - " she stopped abruptly as the hand around her throat tightened.

Kurotsuchi glared at Komamura. "Don't touch _anything_ until I get back."

Komamura sighed as the two of them left. He'd get Nemu nine pairs of really good oven mitts for her trouble, and have a new kitchen (perma-stocked with toffee) built in the Shinigami Women's Association. A button and a jack blinked on the touch pad for Fourteen. He pressed the button, unwound a small cord from a hidden earpiece and plugged it into the display.

"Urahara Shouten."

"Urahara Kisuke, please."

"Yeah, hang on a sec." The boy's voice faded slightly. _"BOSS! PHONE!"_ A clatter of wooden geta heralded the man's arrival.

"Urahara."

"Komamura-taichou! Such a _pleasure _to hear from you. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I'm sorry to be so abrupt, but I need a gigai in twelve hours."

"That's… rather short notice, Komamura-taichou."

"Can you produce one in that time?"

A brief pause. "It's me or Kurotsuchi, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"It'll be ready on time."

"He can't suspect I've asked for your..." the word came with some difficulty. "Assistance."

"You'll find it in a construction site near your drop-off point. Don't worry." The man laughed softly. "I'll say hi to Yoruichi for you."

Komamura pressed the blinking button with more force than necessary. Fuming silently, he hurried back to his original spot by the artificial mongrel. It took a minute for him to start wondering how the exiled captain knew where his drop-off point was.

* * *

Mrs. Arisawa was cooking dinner for everyone when Tatsuki returned from distributing flyers. Komamura felt his mouth water. Crackly fried fish, nutty-sweet fried tofu on spicy ginger fried noodles… he yipped in his best puppy voice and bounded onto a cushion. 

"No. Down. Not for you." Tatsuki shooed the puppy away from the table as she set her bag down. He began to whine. "Oh no. No no no. Stop it with that face." He perched his muzzle on his paws and blinked sadly up at her.

"He's not one of your kouhai, girl. Give him a break." Mrs. Arisawa patted dry a piece of fried tofu and knelt to let the puppy tug it from her fingers. She was rewarded with a happy yip and a faceful of doggy kisses. "So how's it taste, Kitty?"

Tatsuki blinked. "Uh, Mom? Dog?"

"He's a wittle bitty baby foxy," she cooed, "fox _kit, _y'know? And kitsune, of course. Besides, calling him Red's just _boring_."

""Mom, his owner's probably already named him - "

"Okay, how about Cubbywubby? No, too lion-y."

"Mom - "

"Clifford, maybe? Or Snuffles?"

"Actually, Snuffles might work…"

Mrs. Arisawa made a face. "Nope, no book names. Pochi? Or Akemi? Um… oh, I know." She nodded solemnly. "Jeff."

_This from the woman who finds 'Red' boring?_ Komamura appealed to the girl for help with a stare and a whine.

"Please pardon my mother. She has this thing with spoiling cute redheads." Tatsuki realized she'd forgotten to call Orihime again. "Which reminds me - "

"Ah-ah, finish your dinner first. And why shouldn't I spoil them? Redheads are cute. Aren't you, my pupperums?" Mrs. Arisawa looked at her daughter pointedly. "Hey, unless you pop out a coupla grandkids for me to spoil..."

"_MOM!"_ The puppy seemed to snicker at them.

"Any responses to the flyers yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Shiba or Pom, I think." Mrs. Arisawa set a saucer with more fried tofu and some fish in front of the puppy, who dug in eagerly. "Is his breed on the flyer?"

Tatsuki shook her head. "I'm not sure either breed has eyes like he does. Maybe he's a mix?" She dug into her pocket and handed her mother a flyer. The sight of the puppy reading along from her mother's lap got her smiling.

"You only gave your cellphone number."

"If I printed our home phone number, the landlady might have recognized it."

"Tatsuki, dear girl, her only problem with your last pet was that we didn't tell her about it before it got into her laundry…"

Komamura had long ago tuned the others out. His ears perked up as he sensed a Hollow flying overhead. Casually, he swallowed the last of his tofu and loped into Tatsuki's bedroom.

"Taka?"

"He's not getting any bigger. And where are _you_ off to?" She leaned away from the table to see the puppy stretch and yawn, then disappear underneath her bed.

"Kuma?"

The phone stayed on the hook that night as well.

Komamura waited a few seconds until he was sure the two at the table were deep in conversation before sneaking out from under the bed. He pushed the skull emblem into his chest.

His soul exploded out of the tiny gigai like water escaping from a burst balloon, and navigating the once-spacious bedroom suddenly became a very precarious tightrope walk. The ceiling came uncomfortably close to his face at an alarming speed, and he ducked hurriedly, cursing the narrowness of the room as his knee just barely avoided knocking over the girl's desk.

Komamura came across another problem as he gingerly shoved the little body back underneath the bed. He had hoped to slip out through Mrs. Arisawa's balcony, but Tatsuki's door was far too narrow now to accommodate him. He carefully eased open the girl's window, wincing when the glass thudded against the far side of the frame. Hurriedly, he moved the odd devices on the windowsill out of his way and dove into the darkness, taking a moment to rearrange the items in their original place and shut the window.

* * *

A security guard leaned back in his chair with a coffee, switching his attention from the baseball game on one screen to the still gray images on the other. A second, younger guard hiccupped nervously on his drink. It was the rookie's first time on night shifts. Poor thing _hated_ night shifts.

_Too bad._ "Rookie."

"Yeah?"

"Rounds."

"Hey! You said if I got the coffee, you'd take the next set."

"Also said I'd piss my pants before I miss my boy at bat. Move it."

The younger man drained his coffee cup. "Jackass," he muttered under his breath.

"You keep that in mind."

Nothing in the hallways. Nothing out front. Nothing on the side stairs. _Almost done._ The young security guard was feeling quite relieved. Until something by the garage twitched in the dim light, making him jump. The beam of his flashlight caught the outline of a huddled figure in a darkened stairwell.

The guard sighed. Just some vagrant looking for a place to sleep. "Hey, you." He nudged the man with his foot. "Wake up. Hey." He shook the man firmly, then jumped as the man slouched to the ground in front of him.

"What the hell?" The guard rolled the man to face him and aimed his flashlight down. Eerily blank eyes stared up at him from an unnaturally pale visage. He dug into the man's high collar, trying to find a pulse, and gasped when he pulled his hand away, sticky with barely congealed blood.

Fumbling with his radio, the guard stuttered a brief message to his partner before running outside to dump his coffee.

Soft footsteps faded into silence on the walkway above.

* * *

Hi again to Greenzaku, Viashino wizard, darkangel1910 (I have regulars. Blush. Eee!) and hi to Martial artist-Mariko! 

Gah. I suck at titles. But bear with me, if you will. I promised myself I'd revise (or trash and completely rewrite) chapters two and three - hope that makes up for sucky titles.

Addendum (because I'm a thoughtless prat) - Thank you everyone who suggested puppy names! (And I need a beta reader.)

Disclaimer: Once I win the lottery, seduce Prince William away from his girlfriend, and turn the Pacific Ocean into dark chocolate, then I'll buy the rights off Kubo-san.


End file.
